Lex (dog)

Lex
Dustin Lee and Lex in Iraq
Born	1999 Military Base, Texas
Died	March 25, 2012 (aged 13) Starkville, Mississippi
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	2002–2007
Rank	SSG
Service number	E132
Unit	MCLB Albany
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	honorary Purple Heart
Other work	therapy dog

Lex (1999 – March 25, 2012) was the first active duty, fully fit military working dog to be granted early retirement in order to be adopted. Working for his United States Marine Corps handler Corporal Dustin J. Lee in the Iraq War, he was wounded in an attack that killed Lee, and subsequently awarded an honorary Purple Heart.

Lee and Lex were stationed in the military police department at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, with Lex having deployed to Iraq previously with a different handler. Lee had adopted his previous canine, Doenja, after the dog was retired. They were detached to deploy in late November 2006 as an explosive detection and patrol team for 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, then part of Regimental Combat Team 6. On March 21, 2007, while at a Forward Operating Base in Iraq, they were hit by a 73 mm SPG-9 rocket attack. Lee was mortally wounded, while Lex sustained shrapnel wounds. Despite his own wounds, Lex refused to leave Lee and had to be dragged away for corpsmen and other medics to attempt treatment. After returning to the United States in April, he fully recovered from his wounds at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune after a twelve-week rehabilitation. He returned to MCLB Albany on July 6 in a full working capacity, although some shrapnel remained lodged in his back, which veterinarians did not remove to avoid causing permanent damage to his spine.

Col Christian N. Haliday, CO of MCLB Albany